Apparatus particularly adapted for charging orientated articles of relatively greater length than width



I. F. STEWART APPARATUS PARTICULARLY ADAPTED FOR CHARGING ORIENTA'IED ARTICLES 0F REILATIVELY GREATER LENGTH THAN WIDTH 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 2, 1952 Filed Dec. 6, 1950 l0 l8 l2 l4 [3 1 5:, 3'4 l9 8 FIG. I

V I P5 FIG. 2 h 4 lnvenror IAN FRASER STEWART W, M Y W A1 orneys 1952 I. F. STEWART 2,619,

- APPARATUS PARTICULARLY ADAPTED FOR CHARGING ORIENTATED ARTICLES OF RELATIVELY GREATER LENGTH THAN WIDTH Filed Dec. 6, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 3

Inventor IAN FRASER STEWART Attorneys 1386- 1952 I, F. STEWART APPARATUS PARTICULARLY ADAFTED FOR CHARGING 'ORIENTATED ARTICLES 0F RELATIVELY GREATER LENGTH THAN WIDTH 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Eiled Dec.

Inventor IAN FRASER STEWART Attorneys Patented Dec. 2, 1952 TED STATE-S 2,619,869 PATENT ROFFEQE 1 2,619,869 -APPARATUSPARTICULARLY ADAPTED FOR CHARGING ORIENTATED ARTICLES F QRELATIVELY GREATER LENGTH THAN WIDTH 4-'Glaims. 1

The present invention is concerned With-apparatus particularlyadapted f-or charging orient-at'ed' articles,'-'-of relatively greater length than Width-"and of substantially straight longitudinal aXisand having one end terminating in am'edge 1 and the' other endat least 's'ulcs-tantially closed "by a? convex surface, into a -'s0lidcarrying'-'plate 'of the kind having socketsat' least 'the entries of which are' wider than the W idest part of-- said articles.

- Said -'articles I canbe 'in the =iorm-oftubes,

cylindrical rods, -andarticles of other crosssectional' form as well as articles the cross-sebtion 'oi whi-c-hvaries along their length.

1' The invention is particularly concerned with apparatus adapted for charging empty detonator tubes' into a solid detonator arrying plate of the kind having s'o'ckets atdeast theentries of which are wider than the diameter of the 'xietona-tors.

Phe aforesaidsolidcarrying-plates may'be constructed of one or-more pieces as foi instancea carrying-plate provided with a-false base.

British Patent No. 622,52'Ldescribes 'and claims inter alia; a machine-tor: chargina a detonator carrying-plate with empty: detonator tubes comprising in combination 'means for holding a re- 'mo'vabledetonator' carrying-plate in position," a slidable feed plate adapted: to rest on' the ideto- I -nator carrying-plate 'hold -incsaidposition-and having holes which taper towardsthe bottom face thereof andcorrespond-in position: to -lthose in =the carrying-plate, a row of detonator tubegguidetubes positioned above the feed plateandradapted to 'be inclined at a variable angle t-to the vertical,

e. g. 10to the-vertical; and means permitting .the

' slidable feed plate' and carrying-plate Whenttheir respective holes are out of alignmentstozmove together below the 'row'of guide=tubes;1in':which machine the slidable feedplate is adapted toislide laterally; across the carrying-plate ibetweenlitwo limits so that in one'extreme position theholes of the-plates coincide and-"in the other .lposition *they'do not coincide and "in which:the row..of guide-tubes when inclined at asuitable angle 7 to: the vertical is at such a. distances-"from!v the ticles; of relatively greater length thanwi-dth and 1*ot11substantially; strai ht; longitudmalaaxisnand 1 havin oneuend :terminating :inam edgei'andc he are' widerithan the; Widestzpart; of said articles, comprisesin :oombination at least :onesro ofiedelivery :pipes inclined atasuch ;an:ang1e t the NET" tical that when permittedrthey can; deliver wid r 1O one'pipe, into :the sockets of;said carrying-plate when in the-receiving position with respect J- :-to

- .said delivery pipesw.-hile-=permitting; slippage! an outgoing:- article :over :one: 1wh-ich...h s;;alrca entered. a: socket for a1;carrying-plate and which gravity said articles; similarly.,.orientated:for any I .have controlling: means ,whi-chman; Withh-Q1d,n, or permit the :emissionqof: said .-article from Said delivery pipes; means. =ior.-,conve,vine a succes ion 0t empty marrying-plates so... as {ta loringeach (of saidearrying-plaltes' in: turn beneath ssaid delivery pipes; and -side,-.-guides-.exact1y'to -locate each carrying-plate; :as it approaches ;-S' al'.d vlafil .i:ilery pipes so that at least one approaching IOWEgOf sockets of thecarrying-plate vthey pas slbelow the deli-very pipes *can-,receive.:said .articlesiiflm the said delivery-.-.pi-pes,-. the bottom. ends: of; the delivery pipes-being atsuch a distance 'fnomithe carrying-plate onsaidzmeansfor conveyingtwhen in the vicinity of. said delivery; pipes as. totpermit the articles projecting :from below: therdelivery pipes to slide over vzthosetthatchave ..f.a1lenr-,into the SOCkBtszOf thewarrying-plate and said-recontrolling means being controlled;by=,ataleast ;Qne

detector responsive. to a. carrying-plate andpositioned so vas to. bein: the path oft travelaofi a carrying-plateas it approaches: and-as it leaves the vicinity ofsaid delivery pipes.

- A --carrying--plate. to .bc filled in the apparatus a-ccordingtorthe invention hasv to,have .thecentre lines of its rows of sockets in the direction of-pits motion. through the apparatus spaced apart r at least a distance equal to the greatestuwidth. of said articles.

.The said. articles are preierably ..similarly orientated in all the delivery. pipes. 1 For a. "solid detonator carrying-plate preferably only the entries ofv the. sockets :are; appreciably .wider .thanthe diameter of the .detonatorsto-fie inserted in said sockets.

. Preferably the said-del-ivery pipes are ad-apted totbe'inclined at a variable'angleto.thegilertical,

foreXampleirom 5"? to 20?:t0- thervfir ic l.

The said controlling.-means; to withhold-or per- -mit theemissionrof said:articlesinfromx each of said delivery pipescan-be -for;.examp1e a:.plun'ger column. of articlesabove, each plunger having its said electro-magnets.

rearward extension passing through a clearance hole in a light beam and having a larger diameter end on the far side of the beam, each end of which beam being connected to the armature of an electromagnet in such a way that when the two magnets are energised they pull each end of the beam simultaneously in a direction away from the delivery pipes, thus transmitting their pull to the plungers by way of the large diameter plunger ends, and when the magnets are in due course de-energised they permit the said springloading to return the beam to a position in which each plunger can again press an adjacent article against the wall of its delivery pipe.

The detector responsive to a carrying-plate Y and positioned so as to be in the path of travel of a carrying-plate as it approaches and as it leaves the vicinity of said delivery pipes can be for example a switch operating plunger adapted to close a switch which operates the solenoids of the The said switch operating plunger can be actuated by for example having the leading edge of an oncoming solid carryingplate bevelled and the said plunger of such shape as to be moved by the advance of the bevelled leading edge. After the said switch operating plunger has been moved by the bevelled leading edge of the solid carrying-plate a Side of the carrying-plate holds the switch operating plunger in the depressed position until theedge of the carrying-plate passes beyond the switch operating plunger when the switch operating plunger is free to return to its original position and this permits the springs on the fiow control plungers to force these flow control plungers back into the delivery pipes. Each fiow control plunger now grips the lowermost article in each delivery pipe.

The said means for conveying a continuous succession of empty carrying-plates may be for example a chain conveyor having a succession of chairs shaped to support said carrying-plates; an endless belt having strips fixed across its width to push an endless succession of carrying-plates; a system of interacting thrusters. The said chairs and strips are so arranged that each carryingplate is supported at a slight inclination to its direction of motion such that its leading edge will pass beneath the delivery pipes at a greater distance from them than its rear edge. This provision ensures that the bottom of the lowermost article in a delivery pipe which has been stopped by a flow control plunger on a level with the top of the rear edge of the carrying-plate which has just been filled will be at a distance above the level of the leading edge of the oncoming carrying-plate.

If desired the required number of delivery pipes can be separated into more than one set in such a way that the carrying-plates are filled in stages as they pass beneath each set of delivery pipes. The delivery pipes of any one set have to be suitably placed so that a pair of side guides can bring a carrying-plate into position for filling the rows of sockets corresponding to the delivery pipes of the particular set. Each set of delivery pipes will require its own side guides and means for controlling the emission of said articles.

One embodiment of the invention particularly suitable for the filling of empty detonator tubes into a solid detonator carrying-plate is illustrated by way of example with reference to the diagrammatic drawing accompanying the specification whereof Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation showing a detonator carrying-plate about to be charged with empty detonator tubes, Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation showing a detonator carryingplate being charged, Fig. 3 is a plan view of the embodiment of the invention. A preferred embodiment particularly suitable for the filling of empty detonator tubes into a solid carrying-plate is illustrated by way of example with reference to the diagrammatic drawings attached. hereto whereof Fig. 4 is a plan View of this preferred embodiment and Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation showing a carrying-plate which has been charged with empty detonator tubes and empty detonator tubes in a position ready for insertion into a succeeding carrying-plate (not shown). The same reference numerals refer to like parts throughout.

Referring to the drawings, Figs. 1, 2 and 3, I is a chain conveyor, 2 are chairs, 3 is a solid carrying-plate, 4 are sockets in the carryingplate, 5 are delivery pipes, 6 are side guides for locating the carrying-plate 3 with respect to the pipes 5, "I are detonator tubes, 8 are flow control plungers to control the emission of the tubes 1 from the delivery pipes 5, 9 are the larger diameter ends of the flow control plungers 8, I0 is a light beam for withdrawing the flow control plungers 8, II are electromagnets, I2 are compression springs, I3 are collars fixed to the flow control plungers 8 by split pins I4 to transmit the thrust of the compression springs I2 to the flow control plungers 8. I5 is a detector plunger, IE is a switch to permit the electro-magnets II to be energized, ll are diagonally positioned bevelled corners of the carrying-plate 3 to permit the carrying-plate 3 to be placed on a chair 2 so that either bevelled corner H can operate the detector plunger I5. I8 is part of the structure of the embodiment and I9 are bushes in which the flow-control plungers 8 slide.

An empty detonator carrying-plate 3 on the chairs 2 of the chain conveyor l is laterally displaced into alignment with respect to the delivery pipes 5 as it enters the space between the side guide 6. The delivery pipes 5 are kept supplied with orientated detonator tubes I by a mechanism (not shown). The delivery pipes 5 are inclined at an angle of 10 to the vertical. The bearing surfaces of the chairs 2 are inclined downwards at a small angle to the horizontal in the direction of motion of the chain conveyor I to correspondingly incline the carrying-plates 3 (as shown in Figure 1) so as to prevent an approaching carrying-plate 3 from strikin the side of the lowermost detonator tubes I held by the control plungers 8 in the delivery pipes 5 and to be delivered into the socket 4 of the said approaching carrying-plate 3. The bottoms of the said lowermost detonator tubes 1 have been left at the height of the receding top edge of the preceding carrying-plate 3. As the carrying-plate 3 continues its motion between the side guides 6 one of its bevelled corners I'I comes into contact with the correspondingly bevelled tip of the switch operating plunger Hi, the tip of which projects through one of the side guides 6 into the space between the said side guides 6 and on a level with the bevelled corner ll of the carrying-plate. The switch operating plunger I5 is depressed by the bevelled corner H as the carrying-plate 3 pushes against it. This action closes the switch I6 causing the electro-magnets II to be energised. At this instant the top of the carrying-plate 3 is in position beneath the delivery pipes 5 so that when the energised electro-magnets II withdraw the light beam IILwhich bears against the larger ditor tubes I by a mechanism (not shown).

? to the vertical.

amet erends 9 ofthe fiow control pluhgerst,

against the thrust of the compression springs I2, the orientated detonatortubes 'I invthe delivery pipe 5 slide downwards, the lowermost members of each column landing on the top of the carrying-plate 3 front of the sockets 4. As the movement of the carrying plate 3 brings the first socket l of each row of sockets beneath. the

columns of, detonator tubes I the lowermost detonator tube of each column falls into theseffirst sockets 4. The relativeinclination of the detoyond the detonator tube above, the latter has merely to fall into the next socket 4 as thi socket passes beneath the. delivery pipe 5. The falling of the 'detonator. tubes TI into the sockets 41 continuesvuntil the side of the carrying-plate 3 whi ch hasnbeenin contact with the switch operating plungerl 5 PaSSes beyond this plunger I 5. When this, occurs the switch It opens returning the plunger I5 to its original position, when the electr o-magnets I I cease to pull the ends of the light beam I0, 7 The compression springs I2 are now :a t fo ce h fi nt ol n r 8 by pushing thecollars I3 which are secured by split-pins 14 to the fiow control plungers 8, against the lowermost detonatortube in each delivery pipe ,5 so as to prevent further emission of detonator .tubes 1'. The movement of Y the flow control plungers 3 causes the larger diameter ends}! of the flow control plungers 8 topull thelight beam I away from the electroem'agnets I I which resets, the electro-magnet II for a repetition of the aforementioned cycle of'operations when another carrying-plate 3 arrives at the side guides 6. I

Referring to the drawingsli'igs. 4 and 5, 20 are now control fingers to control theemission'of the e v empty detonator tubes I iromdelivery pipies 5,

and are attached to the light beam IEI. 2| are compression springs. r i I As in the previous embodiment an empty detonator carrying-plate 3 on the chairs 2 of the chain conveyor I is laterally displaced into alignment with-respect to the delivery pipes as it enters the space between the side guides 5. The delivery pipes 5 are kept supplied with orientated detona- The delivery pipes 5 are inclined at an angle of The bearing surfaces of the chairs 2 are horizontal. The bottoms of the lowermost detonator tubes I are supported by the control fingers at a height above the top surf ace of the detonator carrying-plate 3. As the carrying-plate 3 continues its motion between the side guides 5 one of its bevelled corners Il comes o C ta withthe wr e o dine tip of theswitch operating plunger I5, the tip of which projects throughoneci the side guides 6 into {the space between the said side guides Band on a level with the bevelled corner I I of the carrying-plate. The switch operating plunger I5 is depressed by the bevelled corner H as the carrying-plate 3 pushesQa'gainst it This action .Of the light beamtt. Theliire'vibiis'hiove the control fingers 20 against the: thrust" of "the compression springs 2I, the orientated't'letenator tubes 1' in the delivery pipes i5 slide downwards, the lowermost members of each column landing socket t has passed: beyond thefdetonator tube (above, the latterfhas, merelytofall intofthEhIQXt socket 4'as this 'socket assesbeneaththe delivery pipe 5 The falling or" the detonator tubes I, the sockets t continues until thel's'id ofthejcarryingeplate 3 which has "been linJcoritact with' 'the switch operating plunger-[I5 passesfbeyondtl'iis plunger I5. When this occurs thepl'ungerflireturns to its original positibil'opfiing theswitch] 6 when the electro m'agnets I I tease-ts pull meshes the beam I0 and the compfssion'ofthe'c 'sion springs 2I ar'efsu'ch that thesaid compression springs 2t are now abletomove theilight'beam ID until the tips of the flow control 'fin'ge'rsYzll 7 meet the empty -detonator Itubes I'i'in' the rearinost sockets 4' or macaw/mea re 3" a' dj'to maintain this contact offlthe "controlfin'g 2B "with the tubes 1 ast e' piste ambves' star, distance further, during which 'movernentithelow'ermost detonatortube I within'the' deliveryfpipe 5 and momentarily resting on the rearniost'tiibe I axis, into a carrying-platehaving at least "onerow of sockets to receive the articlesthe"combination comprising: at leastonerow of u'pstandi'ng' delivery pipes each to be filled with a column lof articles and adapted and arranged tofd'eliverthe latter, by gravity, into the correspondingsockets of a carryingeplate when the'latter is in a receiving position beneath saidpipes, said pipes being inclined to permit slippage of an outgoing article over one which has already e'ntered'a socket upon horizontal movement ]0f the carrying-plate; means for conveying a succession of empty plates so as to bring each of the latter'in turn intoireceiving position beneath said pipes and'w'ith the upper surface of the plates spaced "belowf said pipes at distance less t an the length 0 articles; guide means for aligning eachpl'atewith respect to said pipes as the former] approaches the latter; a plunger located at the lowerjfej'nd portion of each of said delivery 'p'ipesa'nd permanently. spring-loaded to press an adjacent article against the wall of th'esaid delivery'p'ipes with sufficient force to hold up the column of articles above, each plunger having a rearward extension provided with an enlarged outer end; a

beam having a plurality of clearance holes therein of smaller dimensions than that of said plunger extension enlargements and each receiving the extension of a said plunger; an electromagnet having a movable armature connected to each end of said beam for moving the latter in a direction away from said delivery pipes in order to retract said plungers and permit emission of the articles from said pipes; and at least one detector for controlling said electromagnets, said detector being responsive to the presence of a plate and disposed in the path of travel of the latter for operating said electromagnets to permit emission of articles from said pipes when a plate is in article-receiving position therebeneath and to withhold such emission in the absence of a plate in such receiving position.

2. Apparatus particularly adapted for charging oriented articles, of relatively greater length than width and of a substantially straight longitudinal I axis, into a carrying-plate having at least one row of sockets to receive the articles, the combination comprising: at least one row or upstanding delivery pipes each to be filled with a column of articles and adapted and arranged to deliver the latter, by gravity, into the corresponding sockets of a carrying-plate when the latter is in a receiving position beneath said pipes, said pipes being inclined to permit slippage of an outgoing article over one which has already entered a socket upon horizontal movement of the carrying-plate; means for conveying a succession of empty plates so as to bring each of the latter in turn into receiving position beneath said pipes and with the upper surface of the plates spaced below said pipes a distance less than the length of the articles; guide means for aligning each plate with respect to said pipes as the former approaches the latter; a movable control finger located externally to the mouth of each delivery pipe and adapted to support the lowermost article in said pipe when emission of said article is to be withheld; a movably-mounted beam supporting said fingers; spring means urging said beam in a direction to move said fingers beneath said pipes; electromagnetic means for moving said beam in a direction to move said fingers from beneath said pipes; and at least one detector for controlling said electromagnetic means, said detector being responsive to the presence of a plate and disposed in the path of travel of the latter for operating said electromagnetic means to permit the emission of articles from said pipes when a plate is in articlereceiving position therebeneath and to withhold such emission in the absence of a plate in such receiving position.

3. Apparatus particularly adapted for charging oriented articles, of relatively greater length than width and of a substantially straight longitudinal axis, into a carrying-plate having at least one row of sockets to receive the articles, the combination comprising; at least one row of upstanding delivery pipes each to be filled with a column of articles and adapted and arranged to deliver the latter, by gravity, into the corresponding sockets of a carrying-plate when the latter is in a receiving position beneath said pipes, said pipes being inclined to permit slippage of an outgoing article over one which has already entered a socket upon horizontal movement of the carryingplate; means for conveying a succession of empty plates so as to bring each of the latter in turn into receiving position beneath said pipes and with the upper surface of the plates spaced below said pipes a distance less than the length of the articles; guide means for aligning each plate with respect to said pipes as the former approaches the latter; a movable means adjacent the lower end portion of each delivery pipe and engageable with the lowermost article in said pipe to withhold its emission; spring means urgin said movable means in a direction to effect said engagement with said lowermost articles; electromagnetic means connected to said movable means for moving the latter in a direction away from said pipes to permit emission of the articles from said pipes; a switch for controlling said electromagnetic means; and a plunger for operating said switch, said plunger being positioned to be engaged and moved by the engagement thereof by a leading edge of a said carrying plate and to be held in the thus-moved position by a side of the said plate until the latter passes beyond said plunger.

4. Apparatus particularly adapted for charging oriented articles, of relatively greater length than width and of a substantially straight longitudinal axis, into a carrying-plate having at least one row of sockets to receive the articles, the combination comprising: at least one row of upstanding delivery pipes each to be filled with a column of articles and adapted and arranged to deliver the latter, by gravity, into the corresponding sockets of a carrying-plate when the latter is in a receiving position beneath said pipes, said pipes being inclined to permit slippage of an outgoing article over one which has already entered a socket upon horizontal movement of the carrying-plate; means for conveying a succession of empty plates so as to bring each of the latter in turn into receiving position beneath said pipes, and with the upper surface of the plates spaced below said pipes a distance less than the length of the articles, said conveying means including an inclined support for each carrying-plate for carrying the latter at a slight inclination to its direction of movement so that the leading edge of each plate will pass beneath the delivery pipes at a greater distance therebelow than the trailing edge of each plate; controllable means for withholding the emission of the articles from said pipes; and at least one detector responsive to the presence of a plate and disposed in the path of travel of the latter for operating said controllable means to permit emission of articles from said pipes when a plate is in article-receiving position therebeneath and to withhold such emission in the absence of a plate in such receiving position.

IAN F. STEWART.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,085,125 Hoagland Jan. 2'7, 1914 1,253,348 Candee Jan. 15', 1918 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 622,527 Great Britain May 3, 1949 

